MPS advisers answer real dilemmas from the advice line

Professor Sir Peter Rubin, Chair of the GMC, discusses the GMC’s latest campaign and online resource

Professor Nigel Sparrow, senior national GP advisor at the CQC, chats to Charlotte Hudson about the regulator’s new ratings for GP surgeries

Diane Baylis, MPS Clinical Risk Manager, discusses how protocols enable practice teams to practise the right way.

We asked our columnists for their views on CQC practice inspections.

Dr Andrew Tresidder explores how to maintain professional detachment in a consultation, drawing on the psychological concepts around the Drama Triangle. He is a GP Patient Safety Lead for Somerset CCG, GP Appraiser, member of the Somerset Clinician Support Service, and member of the European Association of Physician Health. He is a former Somerset LMC rep and Bristol Medical School Academy GP Lead.

Mrs H was a 35-year-old teaching assistant who also had two school-aged children. She was obese with a BMI of 40. In 2006, she had seen Dr G with left knee pain. Dr G recorded that on examination her knee was tender over her medial joint line but was otherwise stable. He initially prescribed diclofenac and advised her to lose weight.

Protecting children is something that we all must play a part in, writes Professor Sir Peter Rubin

Dr Ishani Patel at Network Locum discusses how to mitigate the everyday risks that locum GPs face.

For a busy GP, any tool that can save time and labour is valuable. Charlotte Hudson chats with Dr Darach Ó Ciardha about the launch of GPBuddy.co.uk and its benefits for GPs and patients

Doctors face a number of challenges when prescribing: Sara Dawson explores some risk strategies and looks at a classic case of a drug name mix-up

Dr Dan Cohen, an international medical director based in the US, looks at the biggest challenge to healthcare safety: complacency

Victoria Armitage, from the Royal National Institute of Blind People, shares her experience of general practice as someone with sight loss.

As a doctor, you may be asked to give evidence in many different types of tribunals, including criminal or civil courts, the coroner’s court and employment or mental health tribunals. This factsheet gives further information about what to expect and how to prepare.

The path of a clinical negligence claim is often long and complex. The eventual outcome is affected by a number of key factors; MPS claims manager and solicitor Antoinette Coltsmann takes an in-depth look at a recent MPS case.

Following a number of practice meetings I had some real corkers to tell from the “field” about dilemmas in discretion and confidentiality.